STRIKER-light Sky Blues completed their unbeaten trip to Ireland with a hard-fought draw.

Eircom Premier Division Bray provided the visitors with their sternest test of the tour with their imposing height and physical approach to the game telling on City's tired legs after a gruelling programme of matches and training sessions.

But Coventry's quality, neverthless, gave them the edge, particularly in the second half, and they again enjoyed plenty of possession, only to lack penetration going forward.

Playing a changed formation for the first time, Gordon Strachan opted for a 3-5-2 line-up to start the game which included the forced front line of Jay Bothroyd and midfielder John Eustace, due to Julian Joachim and John Hartson nursing ankle injuries, Ysrael Zuniga a thigh strain and the fact that Jairo Martinez looks poised to be leaving the club.

Carlton Palmer operated at the centre of a back three, flanked by Richard Shaw and Paul Williams, but the defender found himself under pressure and unable to deal with powerful attacker Stephen Fox who latched on to a poor Lee Carsley back-pass and promptly punished the mistake to give Wanderers a 21st minute lead, much to the delight of the enthusiastic home crowd.

But City's back line had already shown cracks minutes earlier when Robbie Keane's cousin - striker Jason Byrne - forced Morten Hyldgaard into a good save and Fox had a goal disallowed for off-side.

Chances were few and far between for the visitors despite David Thompson's best efforts as the central midfield play-maker, but he released Bothroyd on the half hour, leaving the striker to cut inside his marker and smash the ball onto the woodwork.

Although guilty of being a little too casual in front of goal, he upped his work rate - one of his biggest downfalls - considerably from his previous two games.

City made five changes at the break - one being forced due to Edworthy becoming the third player of the tour to fall victim to a sprained ankle - and were denied a penalty when Laurent Delorge went down under a tackle in the box.

But the referee later pointed to the spot in the 78th minute when defender Colm Tresson handled in the area, leaving Eustace to score his second goal in two games.

Marcus Hall's addition to the side again pepped things up on the left flank where the full-back got forward at every opportunity and showed that he will be the clear first choice in the position to start the new campaign.

Williams is another who looks likely to be first on the team-sheet in Strachan's preferred starting XI alongside Mo Konjic if Gary Breen is not fully match fit come August 9.

Places in midfield, meanwhile, look to be wide open with Carsley and Eustace showing a slight edge over their rivals at this stage, Thompson looking favourite to start wide on the right and Ivan Guerrero pushing hard for a spot on the left.